Feeding means for can-body blanks.



J. BwDRESEL. FEEomG MEANS FUR CAN ODY BLANKS.

APPUCAUON FILED JULY 5.19%6.

` Paltmlvd Urt. 24, 1916.

2 SHELTSMSHEET l.

mm www III V wnrNEssEs i wma u? J. B, UHES MEANS FUR CAN BODY BLANhb'.

Pmcmmw man .'ULY 5. |916,

FEEDING lmnml. on. 24,1916.

2 SHEEIS--SHEE1 2.

.NvENTon- Bresse! the removal of the UNITED STATES PATENT oFFroE.

JOSEPH BERNARD DRESEL, 0F WEIRTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB T0 THE PHELPSCAN COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

TEEDING MEANS Specification of Letters latent.

Fon GAN-BODY BLANKS.

Applipaton led July 5, 1916. Serial No. 107,6645.

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that 1, Josevi-1 B. DnEsEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVeirton, in the county of Hancock and State of lestVirginia, have invented a new and useful Feeding Means for Can- BodyBlanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to feeding means for can-body blanks andits object is to avoid certain objectionable features of feeding meansheretofore employed for the purpose. a

Prior to the present, invention the canbody blanks, which consist ofiiatsheets of tin of appropriate size, were fed from the bottom of a pile bymeans of a suction mechanism pulling the bott/om Sheet of the piledownwardly into the path of feeding fingers, which in turn carried thesheet thus separated from the pile to the portion of the machine inwhich they were subsequently treated. (')n being moved from theneighborhood of the pile each sheet` traveled under spring devices,which latter because of the manner of separating the sheet from the pilewere liable to become roughened by engage- Ament with the edge portionof the removed sheet, and in time the removed. sheet would catch on thespring devices, thu's causing clogging of the machine and necessitatingimpediments caused by the clogging of the sheets before the opera- `tionof the machine could be resumed.

Both in the feeding mechanism as pre viously constructed and asconstructed in accordance with the present inve 'on the bottom sheet isengaged and pullerpwnwardly away from a. pile of supenpbsed sheets by asuction tom sheet at about the middle with the ends still, supported, sothat the sheet in being Tied away treatment of the sheets it wascustomary to employ spring holding means, in the form of spring fingers,at an intermediate point and at the end portions of the sheet with suchsheet progressing in a direction transverse of its length under thespring, fingers until resting upon a table with the fingers pressingflat upon the top of the sheet. Because of the bowed shape of the sheetas 'pulled away from the pile the spring lingers toward the ends of thesheet were engaged thereby device engaging thbotl from the pile ofsheets becomes. owed, In the machine for the subsequent adaptable.

at a considerable distance above the level at Winch the m1ddle portionof the sheet engaged the corresponding intermediate spring tions of thesheet are supplemented byV presser devices so arranged that the wear ofthe spring fingers heretofore occurring is obviated and the sheetreaches the subsequent portions of the machine in the ordinary flatcondition, where-,biA liability of distortion of the sheet and thetroubles ensuing therefrom are whollyr obviated.

T he invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing de tailed description, taken in connection with theaccomrnmying drawings f'oru'iing part of this specification. with thefurther un derstandingfthat whilethe drawings show a practical form ofthe invention, the latter is not. confined to any strict conformity withthe showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long assuch changes and modificationscome within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a. side elevation of the feeding end of alocking machine for can bodies with the invention applied. Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the structure of Fig. l, distant parts of the loclrdevie being omitted. Fig. 3 is a. pla view of the structure of Figs. 1and 2. Fig. 4 its a perspective view of presser feet embodyingthepresent invention and 'adjacent parts of the locker modified to adaptthem to the presser feet. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings there is shown the feeding end of a can-bodylocker 1 of khown construction to which the structure of the presentinvention is particularly Such locker is provided with a rcservoirQ forapile 3 of can-body blanks from the bottom of which, as will presentlybraeket 7 supporting a guide H for a reciplib roeatory member J providedat the` upper end with a suction head 1() and at the lower end with aneccentrif.I strap or ring 1l. The plunger or reeiproeatovr)y member 5)is; hollow for a portion ot its length" with the hollowinterior'connnnniyatlng with the head 10 and with a tiexible pipe 1Q inturn connected with :1 suitable suction apparatus, `whereby air iscontinuallyr exhanatell through the head 1U. The eceentric strapencireles.an

eccentric 13 mounted on a eonntershaft 14(` having journal bearings 15in a drop p0r-l tion 16 ol the bracket 7. The eccentric 13 is secured toone end of the shaft '14 while at the other end thereof there is Secureda sprocket wheel 17 connected by a sprocket chain 18 to another sprocketwheel 1U on a sha l't 2() having a journal bearing 2l on one. of thelegs 4 of the locker,

The nieehanisn'z so far described may be the saine or snbstantiallyr thesaine n.5 ia already in use upon installed ran-bod)Y lockers, except asthe mechanism is changed to acmnnmmlate the present invention.

The Areservoir 2 eoniprisee` end members 22 which mayY be of channeleonstruction. These end members are joined at the top by a bar 23loeated near the ends ot' the ehannel members 22 adjaeent to the table 5ot' the locker. The bar 23 carries a stop linger '2l dependingtheretron'i in the path of the pill` of eau bod;Y blanks. and thisfinger has an angle end :5 provided with an elongated slot :lo throughwhich there extends a bolt 2T traversing the bar Eil. so that the lingernia" be adjusted lengthwise ol' the loc-ker to properly position piles`of ran bod;l blanke ot' different widthe.

'l`o provide for ranbod blanks of dill'el'` eut. lengths the endchannels 2;! hare. their npper Hannes: eonnerted to the bar 23 by boltsl2h' extendingthrough slots 29 in the The lower webs ol the channels 2Qare connected by bolts 29 to a leg on eaeh oll two terminal castings Illmade fast at appropriate points to the top of the table .3 by bolts 9;extending through elongated slots Il in they castings 2&1. thuspermitting the adjustment ol the ehannels '22 toward and l'rom eachother in a direction eroaswise of the table .3, whereby the reservoi r 2may be made to aeeonunodate and renter ran body blanks ol dillierentlengths, the stop linger 72-l performing;` the saine .servire withrespect to caxrbodyv blankeI of dillrrent widths. B5" this means pilesot' can bod)v blanks )nav be eentered over the suction head 1Q withsnllicient accuracy.

Seouredlto the -nnder .side of each leg 30 b xineans ol' bolts 3l is aplate. 35 having `:slots therein for the paseage of the bolts SH,\\'liereb the plate Ilo may1 be adjusted. Une edge ol" each plate 3.7 isformed with an npturned flange. 3T constituting a rest or support forthe pile 2l ol' blanks. ily hips means the pilel 3 is supported close tolts ends and the lowermost blank may be rend il)r engaged by the head 1Uand drawn down wardly away from the bottoni of the pile while. theextreme edge portions of the with drawn plate. remain in engagementnwith `the langcs and support the )lanka above itil Movable along the bed5 in" Suitable grooves 38 formed therein are slide hars 39 usuallytermed trigger bars because they `are varranged with catches or triggersto pro gressirely propel the can bodies from the reservoir or magazine 2to the locking mech-- anisin. the strnetnre of these trigger bars formeno part ol' the present invention it is not shown in the drawings. Eachtrigger har il!) terminates at one end in a. nose -ll into the path ofwhich the bottom one of the can bodies ol the pile is drawn by thesuction head lll when the latter is lowered al'ter being attached to thecan bod)`- blank.. The trigger bare fl are nimed by proper ineehanism,not shown, in a direction to propel the lowndrawn blank onto the tableo. after which the trigger bars return t0 a position to engage the nextblank in order vhen it is drawn down by the suction merit-es.

Un the table 5 and in the path of the can body withdrawn from thereservoir 0r magazine. thereof is a epring presser finger 41 with anuptnrned end 42. the presser finger heine rlosel)V related to the topsnrfaceo the table so as to hold can body blanks eloee to the table withelastic pressure. There are other sprintr lingers 43 with upturned endsr`l-l located on opposite sides of the linger l l'l at Snell distaneetherefrom that the trigger bars Bil are between the fingerlfl andrespertiie lingers 13. The npturned end 42 of the linger l1 Close to themagazine of ean body` blanks, while the upturned i ends 1H of 'thelingers Yt3 aremore distant-'- therefrom.

llxtending* across the `table 5 above the surl'aee ol the latter andabove the linger 41 is a rock shaft lo mounted in journal bearingw `lllat the sides of the table. This rock shaft extendn at one end beyond theCorre spondinp,r eide ot' the table and there bag fast to it au arm lTextending radially nfrom the shalt. 'l'o the onter extremity ofthe arm47 there is itlaehed one end of a spring 48, the other end of which ismade 'FastIto a Stud 0n an upright lfl secured to one side, ol the.table The tendency nl' the. spring 4S is to pnll the arm 177 downwardly,thus imparting to the Shaft 45 a tendency to rock in the direc lll tionof constraint of the arm 47. Secured to the shaft are 'other arms 50each carrying at the outer end a spring 51 and at un intermediate pointa rod 52. The spring 51 is connected at one end to the arm and at theother end to an upturned toe or extremity Y 53 of an elongated shoe 54,which latter at 57 fast to the upright 49. At the lower end the rod 56carries a roller 58 bearing upon a cam 59 secured to the shaft 20 so asto at all times engage with and support the cam 58 and with it the rod57.

The shoe 54 with the arm 50 and spring 51 and also the rod 52 constitutea. presser `foot for can bodies moved under the shoe 54. There are twosuch presser feet one in ad- Vance of each s ring finger 43 in thedirection of travel o the can bodies.

While a can body blank is being moved from the magazine on to th.v table5 the cen trai' depressed portion of the blank is at a ylevelsubstantially the same as the top of the table and' readily moves underthe spring linger 41 without engaging the upturned end 42 thereof at ahigh point to be forced by the upturned end toward the table.

The parts are so timed in operation that as the can body blankisremoved. from the magazineand asthe extremities of the blank are movingoff from the llanges 37 the front edge of the moving blank is broughtinto engagement with the shoes 54, which at this time are tilted so thatthe heel portions are upon the table 5 and the front portions 53 are'elevated.

About the time that the can-body blank reaches the shoes 54 the cam 59has moved sufficiently sothat its high point previously under the roller58 has moved away from such position when the spring 48 is permitted toVact to lower the shoes 54 toward the table 5, the springs 51 serving aselastic means. for eliminatmg rigidity of the parts.

The canbody blank moving upon the table y,

5 ie therefore dually and evenly pressed down to theta e, but withelastic rassure and the angle of the shoes 54 forming part Lof thepresser feet becomes progressively more acute with relation to the lineof travel of the blank, so that there is no liability of any' wearing orcutting action of the shoes" 54 which would tend to form ridges to catchsuccessive blanks and thus cause them to bend or buckle and therebybecome distorted ference.

and interfere with the working of the machine.

In order to guide the blanks after being initially lodged on the table 5as removed from the magazine there are provided clon gated guide bars(i0 with slots 61 for fastening bolts (l2 permitting adjustments ofthese bars corresponding to the adjustments of the castings V31. j

As each can-body blank is moved away' from under the presser feet thelatter arr tilted, that is, the fronts 53 are raised by rocking with theIshaft 45, while he heels of the shoes 54 rest lightly on top of hetable So that the presser feet are in position t; per mit moving thenext can body blank onto the table from the magazine without inter- Thenthe presser feet lower into y engagement with the can body soplaced andhold it with elastic pressure While the trigger barslreturn intqposition to engage the next blank in order a`nd to engage the alreadyplaced can blank to move it out of the way and toward the lockermechanism as the next succeeding can body blank is delivered on to thetable to be acted on in the same manner by the presser feet as thefirst-named can body.

The arrangement permits the successive placing of the blanks on to thetable without AWear upon the linger 41 or the presser feet, Whereforethere is no liability of catching of the can-body blanks upon anyportion of the machine whereby the can blanks would be bent or buckledand so distorted in a manner resulting in the clogging of the mav chineand the necessity of clearlng'it` before it can proceed, such clearingmeaning a demeans for removing can-body blanksl from the magazine. 5

2. -A feeding means for can-body blanks, comprising a magazine for apile of blanks, means for moving the blanks one at a time from themagazine` rockable elastimpresser lfeet in the path of the can-bodyblanks as removed from the magazine, and means for rocking the presserfeet timed- ,in operation to actuate the presser :feet in alternationwith the movement of the blanksfrom the magazme.

3. A feeding means for can-body blanks, comprising a magazine fora pileof blanks,

hit-am l'or inmingi one blank ati n time from thv magazine, ami tiltablvhreasti-ifevt for thv blank` eavh vonnn'iing a shoe with nivamj l'orti|t"in;V thv .eline :intl elashiv niearn hrm hline a 'ivltlabhhai-king: for the IQhoe.

leetlingij means for ean-hollJ blanks`r voinhx'iaing a magazine for apile of blanks,

4nwanzf for lelirvring the blanks one at? a time from the hottoni oltheI pile, a table ontio which the blanks are lleliVerl-(l. epring fin-`;fvrk l'or Vlg-m-iiingf anil holding thv blanks on the tabv alinivrmviliatin and end portionsA nt thv hiankfwith thv spring 'fingerfor engaging the intel'xneiliaiv portion of (he blank closer to thvniagalne than thv other ln- 1n-re. |n'v.\.-:vr l'ev lovfitvri betweenthe .st-continana-tl linger antl the magazine, and means VI'oi'roi-kings the prvrvr feet toward and from tlnl table to engage :unlrelease the blanks anti to holrl the blankeI in ifon'ilniction with thv.spring fingere.

fi. ln a feeding: ineens for can-hotly blanks haring! a magazine for theblanks and means for Lleli\'eringr the blanks one :1t a time from theniagazine. piwfssvv feet for engaging the delivered blanks. wirfhpresent' foot cmnprisingr a, shoe. :intl nivaney for moving the Shoeinto am] ont or engagl'vlnent with :i delivered blank consisting ol* aroek:1r1n with a hinge vonneetion between an intermediate portion of theroekwlrin antl an intermediate por tion of the Shoe. anrl a springConnecting the outer portion of the rock-arm with tithe correspomlingonil'r portion of the shoe.

A feeding: means for (van-body blanks, f'onipriaing' a lnagzine for apile of blanks, nii-ans for rleliveiging the blanks one at a, time fromthe nmgazine, and presser fevt and operatingg,- menne there-forcomprising a rocksha'tt, rock-urine on the roelvehaft with one ol' therock-:mns haring a spring connection to :1 fixed )1m-tion oi" then'mehine for conL straining the roekehal't Loa'artl :1 predeterniinvdlmsition, anrl shoes,connected to the othvr rovk-arnin, saiileoiineetions including a liiinrv connection and a yiehlahle conneeition, whereby the shoes will he in an lllar rel lation to an advancingblank when nst; presented to the shoes. and will then press flat uponthe Shoes duringr further movement i! thv blankey under the shoes.

T. A Feeding;r means for ean--lmtly blanks, minimising a magazine for apile of blanks, nphorts for the enr] portions oF the pile of blanke.auction means 'for moving the lowerniost blank away from the pile, :i`table onto whieb the blanke :1re delivered, means 'for moving the blankdrawn away from the hottom of the pile onto the table, spring fingersfor engaging the blank when on the table, press-e1' ,feet between themagazine and tain of the spring Fingers, said presser feet, comprieingshoes and r0ek-arms with hinge and otherwise rigid connections betweenthe vo karn1s :nul :shoes nt intermediate points of both` and springlconnections between the outer @mi portions of the 1-oek-arms and shoes,a roek-shaft Carrying;r the rock-arms, another rock-arm on therock-Shaft, a spring connected ut one end 'to the free end of thelast-named rock-arm and at the other encl to a fixed portieri of themaehine, a slidable rod engaging the last-named rock-arm, and al camYfor engaging the rod to move it in the direction of its length.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my on'n` l ha ve heretoallxed my signature.

JOSEPH BERNARD DRESET.

